The invention relates to a process method and apparatus for introducing articles, encased in an inner wrapper, into an open packet, in particular for introducing a group of cigarettes wrapped in tinfoil into a cigarette packet.
The subject of the invention is the introduction of articles provided with an incompletely folded wrapper into packets. This is particularly relevant to hard packets of cigarettes of various types. The substantially ready-folded packet is held ready, in a filling station, with its orifice pointing towards the arriving group of cigarettes. While the group of cigarettes is being supplied the folding of the tinfoil wrapper, which has end flaps projecting at the rear viewed in the direction of travel, is completed before entry into the packet.
In a known cigarette packaging machine for the production and filling of hard cigarette packets the tinfoil wrapper of the groups of cigarettes is folded while the groups are being transported to the packet. This solution has the advantage that the continuous transport movement of the groups of cigarettes is not interrupted whilst finishing the tinfoil wrapper. However, a disadvantage is that the apparatus has an increased tendency to develop faults because of the complicated folding members. Furthermore, incorrect folding of the tinfoil wrapper cannot be excluded at the high working speed of such packaging machines (German Offenlegungsschrift No. 2,440,006).